Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign received nearly $13,000 in contributions identified as potentially illegal foreign donations, including one from his mother‑in‑law. Only U.S. citizens or permanent residents may contribute, and campaigns must return contributions that do not meet that requirement.
Records show that at least 170 of the roughly 54,000 contributions to Mamdani’s campaign came from foreign sources. Of these, 88 donations totaling $7,190 have not been returned, despite the campaign stating it would comply with Campaign Finance Board regulations. The campaign has raised $4 million in private donations, received $12.7 million in public matching funds, and has nearly $6.1 million on hand with less than a month remaining before Election Day.
A campaign spokesperson said, “We will, of course, return any donations that are not in compliance with CFB law,” but did not clarify why so many foreign contributions remain unreturned. Among the contributors whose donations have not been returned is Bariah Dardari, Mamdani’s mother-in-law, who donated $500 while living in Dubai.
The foreign donations have drawn criticism from political rivals. Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa expressed concern over the contributions, noting that “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” He also urged the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate potential foreign involvement in super PACs connected to the campaign.
The contributions came from a wide range of professionals, including doctors, software developers, university professors, and retirees, with individual donations ranging from $1 to $2,100.
Most contributions have come from outside New York City. Leading up to the Democratic primary, Mamdani raised $1.05 million over several weeks, more than double the $507,000 reported by former Governor Andrew Cuomo. The city’s Campaign Finance Board declined to comment, stating it is auditing campaigns across the city this election cycle.
